Brooder



July 28, 1925. 1,547,233

A. PATTERSON BROODER Filed June 5. 1924 warm Patented July 28, 1925.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR A. PATTERSON, OF ELLSWORTH, KANSAS.

BROODER.

Application filed June 3, 1924. Serial No. 717,569.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR A. PATTER- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ellsworth, in the county of Ellsworth and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brooders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in breeders and particularly brooders for small chickens from one day to several weeks old.

An object of the invention resides in providing a. brooder having a centrally located heating sourcevand formed with a plurality of adjacently arranged compartments adapted for containing chicks each providing equal access to the heating elements so that the chicks may move closer to or farther away from said heating elements and at the same time, the chicks are prevented from piling up one on the other and smothering some of the chicks, by reason of the small number of chicks in each compartment which are prevented from getting into the adjacent compartments.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a. brooder of annular form having a plurality of adjacent and radially arranged compartments adapted to provide equal access for the chicks in each compartment to a centrally located heating element, the chicks in each compartment being prevented from entrance into other compartments so that crowding will be prevented and a more even distribution of heat provided for.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brooder structure of annular form composed of sections, each having upper and lower frame members of skeleton form held in parallel spaced relation by side members provided with hinged sections to permit access to each compartment, bottom sections being mounted in the lower frame members, and top or cover sections being secured to the upper frame while each brooder section is provided with a plurality of radial partitions to form the compartment.

Other objects and features of the invention residing in the construction and assemblage of the parts are more fully pointed out in the following description and claims showing a preferred form of the invention, it being understood however, that changes may be made in the particular construction and arrangement of these details within the scope and spirit of this invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a section, with portions broken away and shown in section, taken approximately upon the line 1-1 of Figure 2, the dotted line indicating the proportion ofthe hood to brooder.

Figure 2 is a section taken substantially upon the plane of the line 22 of Figure 1 showing the relation of the heater and hood to the brooder.

1 indicates a conventional type of brooder stove or heater having the usual stack 2 to which is secured the usual form of hood 3, these parts not forming part of the present invention.

A brooder indicated at 4 is composed of a pair of assembling semi-circular sections 5 and 6 having the ends at one side spaced, as indicated at 7 to provide for the reception of a thermometer (not shown) inorder that r the brooder may be maintained at a proper temperature. The brooder sections 5 and 6 are composed of an upper frame member 8 and a lower frame member 9, which frame members are formed of wire provided with concentric substantially semi-circular por tions 10 joined by end portions 11, each frame being provided intermediate the end portions 11 with a pluralityof spaced radially extending wire pieces 12 adapted to hold the intermediate portions of the concentric portions of said frame in proper spaced relation. Reticulated side sections 13 extend entirely around the semi-circular portions 10 and the connecting portions 11 of each brooder section, and are secured to the up per and lower frames 8' and 9 for holding them in spaced parallel relation, hinged sec tions 14 being provided at spaced intervals along-the outer semi-circular members 10 connected with the upper frame member 8 in any suitable manner such as by the loop 15, so that the section 14 may swing upwardly about the outer wire portion 10 of said upper frame for a purpose to presently appear.

Each of the broader sections 5 and 6 are provided with bottom sections 16 of a shape to conform with the bottom frame 9 and adapted to rest on the bottom frame in brooder forming relation to form a floor on which the chicks may be placed. An articulated top or cover section is provided for each of the upper frames 8 as indicated at 17 so as to provide an enclosure to prevent the chicks from getting out of the brooder as well as preventing rats or other vermin from destroying the chicks. Each section 5 and 6 of the brooder is provided with a plurality of radially extending spaced partition walls formed of reticulated material as indicated at 18 preferably extending between the wires 12 of the frame, in

order to provide a plurality of independent compartments for chicks in each brooder section to which access is had by means of the hinged sections 14 of the side members 13. The brooder sections are held in assembled relation as shown in Figure 1 by stop members 19, which as shown, are provided at the top meeting edges of the sections and connects the adjacent portions 11 of the upper frame together so that they may have a relative pivotal movement in order that one section may be folded on the other when it is adapted to store or shift the brooder.

From the foregoing description, it will be clear that in assembled relation, the brooder has a central opening at spaced portion 7, the central opening being adapted to fit around the stove 1, in concentric relation, and the spaced portions permitting the positioning of a thermometer between the sections, so that the temperature it the plane in which the chicks are located may be determined so that overheating may be prevented, while at the same time suflicient heat may be provided. It is also to be noted that the brooder will contact a large number of chicks which are to be distributed in the various sections or compartments of the brooder section, so that, the chicks of each section may hover close to the stove for warmth while at the same time they will be prevented from collecting in a mass and piling up on one another which frequently results in smothering of some of the chicks. In the present case, however, it is impossible for the chicks to collect in bunches, as they are evenly distributed around the stove in the several compartments of the brooder, only sufficient numbers being placed in each section or compartment which may be conveniently accommodated therein without probability of piling up and smothering one another, while at the same time, all of the chicks will have sufficient room to hover close to the stove and keep warm or move away from the stove to a cooler zone. The reticulated side members and cover sections provide ample ventilation to the chicks and also prevent them from falling or jumping out and keep vermin from destroying the chicks. Each of the compartments may be cleaned through the hinged sections of the side members or the bottom may be removed through the lower frame member.

It will be noted that a simple brooder structure has been provided of relatively foldable sections each having a plurality of compartments which is adapted to contain a large number of chicks during their first few weeks of growth and prevent crowding or smothering of the chicks with resulting losses, and at the same time giving all of the chicks ample access to the heating elements.

\Vhat is claimed is:

l. A brooder including a pair of fold-able semi-circular sections, each provided with a plurality of compartments having means for providing access to each compartment, said sections in extended brooder forming relation providing a central opening in the brooder for the reception of a heating element adapted for distributing an equal amount of heat to all of the compartments.

2. A brooder including substantially semicircular sections, each section having upper and lower frame members, side sections securing said frame members in spaced parallel relation, bottom sections mounted on each lower frame member to form the brooder bottom, a plurality of spaced radially extending partitions in said brooder forming independent compartments, the side sections being provided with hinged portions to permit access to the several compartments, and means for securing the semi-circular sections together at one end in brooder forming relation adapted to have the central portion positioned around a lamp for heating the compartments, the free ends of the sections opposite the ends secured together being arranged in spaced relation.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ARTHUR A. PATTERSON. 

